Environmental Science

The field of environmental science strives to understand the complex systems of the natural world and the effects of human actions upon it. Use the Environmental Science Web Guide to learn the basics of environmental science and stay up to date on news and developments in the field. Students will find resources for learning about issues in environmental science, and teachers will find sites to help them teach the subject.

Environmental science is a fast-moving field and a hot topic in the news. There are plenty of sites devoted to the latest developments in the science, the politics and the innovations of this booming field. Here we recommend some environmental science news and blogs to keep you up to date.

Many print publications put article abstracts online for free but require a paid subscription for full access. Ask the librarian at your school or university, or your employer, if they hold an institutional subscription; often this will allow you access for free.

Not surprisingly, the environmental science blogosphere is dominated by climate science and climate change. But that’s by no means the limit of environmental science. If you’re having trouble finding what you’re looking for, refine your search by focusing on a specific issue or region, as many environmental blogs are specialized and/or locally focused.

Many bloggers maintain a list of their favorite blogs in a sidebar, called a blogroll, that will lead you to similar or related blogs. This is a great way to further explore the mass of blogs far too big to list here. For more on how to find and evaluate blogs (and start your own), check out the findingDulcinea Blogs Web Guide.

Discovery Channel
brings you some of the more interesting and engaging science news online. Read the featured stories or scroll down to find more news stories of interest. Visit the site’s Global Warming section for extensive coverage of the topic.

Environmental Health News (EHN)
is a news aggregator. Most of the links go to the original news source or peer-reviewed journals, but EHN also publishes synopses of environmental health articles and research.

Environmental Health Perspectives
is a monthly journal published by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences. Its Web site is a bit awkward to navigate but is nonetheless an excellent source of peer-reviewed research and news. The journal is also available in Chinese.

Environmental Science & Technology
is a blend of research, news, reviews and analysis. The Web site goes beyond its print version with the “Articles ASAP” section, bringing you polished but as-yet unpublished (in print) research. Read abstracts of current articles (and in some cases, complete articles) for free, or purchase access to archived articles.

RealClimate
focuses solely on the latest in climate science, steering clear of politics and policy. This no-nonsense group blog is written by 11 climate scientists. Browse entries using the index page or scroll down the right side of the homepage to view categories. For background on climate science, click the start here button at the top.

Environmental Economics
is penned by two professors of environmental economics with occasional academic guest bloggers. Focusing on the economics of the environment, it takes a somewhat different look into environmental issues than most blogs out there, which tend toward activism. Use the categories (scroll down the left side to find them), or explore further with the rich blogroll and link list. For some background on the field, read Environmental Economics 101.

The Natural Patriot
reads like a magazine, and has enough pretty pictures to be one. Written by Emmett Duffy, a topics editor for the Encyclopedia of Earth, this blog covers the full domain of environmental science news with information-rich posts that are highly readable. Check out NP’s essential reading list for recommended books.

The Oil Drum
addresses the elephant in the environmental room: the problem of oil, specifically that of peak-oil (the point where it starts running out). Written by economics and energy experts from a scientific research perspective, this blog addresses issues in energy science, policy and the future of global energy.